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Since ownng my speed triple I have had great expense when having services, with worn out parts, such as, break caliper overhalls due to piston seizing, thrust bearings coroded and falling apart, drive shaft bearings coroded, swinging arm bearings, engine mounting brackets breaking down, chain adjuster seized, alternator burnt out, clocks stopped working after 7,000 miles and had to be changed, and many more problems. The bike has 17,000 miles on the clock, garaged, and very well cared for. Every services it has had has been over a 1,000 pounds due to breaking down of parts!!! Am I the only one that owns a beautiful looking bike that appears to be falling apart????

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The bloke who had it before me tried to buy it back. Sums it up!

After owning a Honda Blackbird for 6 years I wanted something that was special like the bird but didn't have me wondering why everyone else on the road was going so slow (then realising they weren't - I was 'touring' at 3 figure speeds). So I decided on a naked.

There's lots of good stuff out there but it's all a bit the same. Then I saw a roulette green 2003 speed triple with colour coded fly screen, belly pan, rad cover and seat hump. It looks like nothing else and, with it's 3 cylinder engine, sounds like nothing else either. A 2 hour test run and I was hooked. When I asked the dealer if the pillion seat was available, he explained that it was (oh and the previous owner had also left in a Triumph high level carbon race pipe, 2 alternative rear sprockets and a front sprocket which were all included in the price). Ooh deep joy!

Have the bike now about a month. Fitted the race pipe which doesn't have the same mad wail as the (fairly sporty) standard can but emits a throaty burble at low speed (this neatly avoids attention from the police and neighbourhood watch stasi in villages) which turns into a cacophony of warbles, pops, growls and screams once the bike's given the berries. It even does the most lovely backfire when changing down. Orgasmic!

Looks-wise, especially in the green and with the fly screen etc, it really stands out. When I park it up, I invariably come back to find a few admirers gazing at it. In traffic, lorry drivers seem a bit intimidated by the streetfighter stance and move over. At the lights, 'wimin' in sporty soft tops smile (the first owner of mine was a lady so she probably had the same from every bloke on the road). Kids point at it open-mouthed.

Riding the thing just rocks. It handles; brakes are excellent; there's power on tap from tickover and the odd accidental wheelie if you forget your manners.

Adding mirror extenders (or different mirrors) is a must as the standard ones give a great view of your arms. I took the former option and can now watch my tail for bandits.

You've probably realised I like it. But I'm not alone. The bloke who traded it in tried to buy it back a few days after I got it.

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It's a great machine with plenty of following, I just wish it handled as well as it looks and goes!

OK before I start, I'd like to apologise to those avid speed triple followers who've just spat their coffee out at the shock of it not getting the full 5 stars. But before you burn me at the stake, hear me out.

Now let me get this out of the way first. The reason behind that menacing 4 star rating for me is this: It just didn't handle like I was expecting. It's not that it's not good at handling, but it reminds me a bit of the Hayabusa in the handling department. Now I liked how the 'busa handles, it's comfortably stable, and chuckable, but when you get to a bumpy corner the suspension's just a little slow to react. It'll still grip like hell, but just won't settle very well. And that's exactly what I'd say of the Speed Triple. It really does handle nicely, but when it's competitors are the likes of Aprilia's Tuono (basically a stripped RSV-R), and KTM's bonkers Superduke, it just doesn't quite cut it. Of course the competitors are a lot lighter for a start, the trump is just not quite as agile.

Now that I've hopefully cleared that up, I'll move on to the best thing about the Speed Triple... That engine, and what an engine! You may have seen my review about the Sprint ST, where I commented on the 1050cc triple engine being absolutely gorgeous. This is better. It's the same engine, but it's not in a big sport-tourer, it's on a naked bike, there's more (ok, I'll say it) Soul.

The engine is as smooth as an inline four, but has the grunt of a twin. Any gear, any revs, twist the throttle and away you go. This thing is a real wheelie machine, a bit of an animal, and that's what I love about it. Thing is though, it's no so much of an animal that you can't ride the thing, it's so user friendly, it never frightens you like the Superduke might, it just revs up and down so easily, with that beautiful exhaust barking away and popping on the overrun.

Comfort wise, well it's alright, but nothing to write home about. There are a few companies that make aftermarket seats for the triple, which is useful as I personally didn't find it all that comfy. The other thing is that for a naked, the bars are perhaps a little low and stretched. You are in no way in a racing crouch or anything, it's just not all that comfy on the wrists. Again though, I'm sure you can find some bar risers if you're fussed.

Got a pillion? Not any more you haven't. Not unless your passenger is a child, and even then they won't be too happy, the seat's more of a perch than a seat. But then that's not what this bike is about either, is it.

Wind protection, erm, well, that's for sissies, isn't it? Seriously that little screen is amazing. Of course the bike's not faired so you are a little exposed, but tuck up a little bit and you don't notice the wind too badly.

As for reliability, well that's something that I'm a little unsure about. The build quality of the bike is excellent, it all looks well put together and feels plush, which is something that I'd hope triumph reflect from their internals too, however the bike I rode did have an annoying squeeling front brake which slightly ruined the ride for me. From what I hear, as long as you keep the engine oil levels topped up, the triples are pretty bullet proof.

The clocks are easy to read, you get all sorts of pointless (erm, I mean useful) functions, like real time MPG, average MPG, clock, trip meters, temp gauges, a digital speedo and analogue tacho, though you have to take your hand off the bar to switch between some of them, and I'd jack it all in for a decent fuel gauge and a gear indicator, something I was suprised not to see.

All this aside though, you'll forget about it's niggles in no time. There's something very pure about the Speed Triple, something that exists in all Triumphs actually. The marketing men will no doubt call it "soul" or "passion", but I'd just call it british engineering at it's finest. These bikes are designed by brits, for british roads, and my god does that show. The suspension may not be the best, but unless you're planning on doing lots of track days or really ragging the thing everywhere, you won't be complaining. It works on all occasions, including some of these botched repaired roads that seem to be everywhere these days.

Personally, my money would be on the KTM Superduke, just because it's the most insane of the bunch and handles like you wouldn't believe, but if there was no Superduke, the Speed Triple would be my next bike, no question.

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Buy 1

What should i say, I own a Triumph Triple 1050 since now a good 7 months, and I'm in love, and as is with any relationship their bad point and good things,

first and most important, do we look good with each other. answer YES. me being of average stature, the bike not overwhelming in its size or worse the other way round i dont want to look like I'm riding a 125.

2 Reliability i dont wont to be stood up, and with this bike i cant complain, starts everytime, just a few probs with the rear brake.

it really goes, havnt managed to get top end out of it yet to much wind. 190kph (own a German model) lots of reserve only thing that kinda annoys me is the jumpy delivery in first, took a bit of getting used too.

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Buy 1

What should i say, I own a Triumph Triple 1050 since now a good 7 months, and I'm in love, and as is with any relationship their bad point and good things,

first and most important, do we look good with each other. answer YES. me being of average stature, the bike not overwhelming in its size or worse the other way round i dont want to look like I'm riding a 125.

2 Reliability i dont wont to be stood up, and with this bike i cant complain, starts everytime, just a few probs with the rear brake.

it really goes, havnt managed to get top end out of it yet to much wind. 190kph (own a German model) lots of reserve only thing that kinda annoys me is the jumpy delivery in first, took a bit of getting used too.

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SMALL IMPERFECTIONS DON'T SPOIL A GREAT BIKE

THE 955I SPEED TRIPLE NEEDS MORE RIDER INPUT THAN MOST BIKES TO KEEP IT ON LINE,AS THE FRONT END SEEMS TO BE VAGUE, WHICH I HAVE YET TO CURE,THE BRAKE HOSES BENEFIT FROM BEING REPLACED WITH BRAIDED INSTEAD OF THE SPONGEY RUBBER ONES TRIUMPH FIT. THE MIRRORS WILL ONLY AFFORD A LIMITED REAR VIEW UNLESS YOU ARE A MIDGET OR ANNOREXIC. THAT SAID , I FELL IN LOVE WITH SOUND, LOOKS AND RAW EXCITEMENT IT PROVIDES . ALBEIT NOT A PERFECT BIKE , IT PUSHES ALL THE RIGHT BUTTONS FOR ME AND ALL THE OTHER OWNERS I HAVE SPOKEN TO. JAKEGASSER..PREACHING TO THE CONVERTED..

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A New British Classic

I've wanted a british bike since I was a kid, as my Dad had several. I took the Triumph factory tour because I thought I wanted a Sprint ST. But when I saw the Speed Triple I knew it was the bike for me.

I love the bug-eyed street fighter look. It looks like it should be a real handful, and it can be...if you want it to. But it is also a great commuter, and very comfortable on longer journeys...for the pilot. The pillion seat, however, is cramped, and my kids refuse to ride with me since I changed bikes.

The bike would make a good tourer, except for one small problem - luggage. The tank is plastic, so I can't use my magnetic tank bag, which is a nuisance. There is a small storage area under the seat, and I use a tail pack...but soft panniers touch the exhaust pipe, so I don't use them. If you travel light you wouldn't find it too much of a problem...but I'm a girl. Enough said.

The bike is light, not too tall. At 5' 8" I can get both feet flat on the floor. It's well balanced and easy to manoevere in traffic. The clutch is light, although the gearbox is a bit 'clonky' and it can be hard to find neutral if you're not used to it. The front brake is great, but the rear is less positive.

The mirrors are useless, many people change to bar-ends; although I prefer to keep the bike as narrow as possible to weave through queues of traffic.

The bike must be hand washed as the alternator on one side isn't waterproof. I'm told that you can get a watertight side cover to overcome this problem, but I don't know for sure. All said, it's not hard to get clean, and all the plastic means your not a slave to the wax polish.

My bike is in Nuclear Red (a sort of Day-glo pink) which makes it highly visible to car drivers and, I hope, less at risk of SMIDSY accidents. It can also be found in Day-glo green, yellow...or more normal colours for the less adventurous. In any colour, it's not a bike to be ignored and gets admiration from all and sundry.

My advice is to take one on a test drive. If, like me, you can't give the keys back...then you know it's the bike for you. Just be careful that, unlike me, you were planning to buy a new bike. I warn you....it gets under your skin.

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I've had my current Speed Triple (955cc) for nearly 4 years. I had the original T509 but that bike lacked some speed. I love the new Speed Triple. So far, I have done 18,000 miles with no major problems at all (apart from blown light bulbs, but that is pretty normal apparently). The BIG 18,000 mile service cost £200, which is very reasonable. Reliability wise, it does what you come to expect from a bike; it always starts, is on the same battery and apart from some inconsiderately placed nails on the roads where I live, gone through 4 rear tyres. A bit expensive mind... Insurance (even with 6 years NCB) has suffered. Living in London does not help one bit. Still, if your looking for an all round bike (city, back lanes, track days and moderate touring) then this has to be the best bike on the planet. I commute 22 miles a day into and out of London. The engine is excellent and has bucket loads of torque from 3,000rpm. You can even potter in 6th gear and still pick up sweetly from 40mph. I fitted an MHP titanium can (so car people can hear me) and had the Fuel Injection updated all done by Jack Lilley ? Shepperton. What sets this bike apart from your normal Jap stuff is the build quality. OK it might be a couple of kilos over fighting weight, but you get a great looking single sided swing arm. Nothing has fallen off. The aluminium is still clean and the bodywork always shines with a dab of T cut. A lot of people go on about the looks. I love it. It just looks so mean and menacing. Update: 16th July 2004 ? I part exchanged the ST back in August ?03, for a Sprint RS. I have included a review for that. Put it this way, I made a mistake losing the ST.

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... was one review which prompted me to buy this bike, and I certainly didn't regret it. I moved from a steady 40bhp Yamaha Dragstar to the triple for a couple of reasons - the pickup and nippiness was amazing, the looks unique and well, commuting through London a lot, it fits between cars well. Oh, and the triple engine makes a great yowling sound when you get it up to about 5000 rpm. Let's face it, it's a posers bike with great torque and performance, but if it's an out and out speed bike you want, go for the R1 or a Suzuki, mainly because anything over 130mph on a "naked" bike like this and the wind is going to make it impossible to hold on. Absolutely ace though. Buying the thing is difficult - new it's quite pricey at about 7500, but there are a few second handers to be had. Note that the engine changed from an 855cc model to a 955i model in 1999 (the same engine as the Daytona, only detuned for mid-range performance). The earlier model is otherwise known as the t509, but looks pretty similar, and can be picked up for around 3500-4000 at the moment.

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In Italy, this cycle has got a big result in sells. A friend of mine is a lucky driver of a wonderful Speed Triple "Special", he customized his motorbike as like an Harley! Nothing too much excessive, just more aluminium in some points!! I tried to ride with "her".....i had an immediately feeling with drive in all range curves, and in city traffic also. It is a motorcycle suitable for all day and mid range tours, especially in mountain or country ride. I think three cylinders engines has got all advantages of 4 cylinder Jap cycles and some advantage of two cylinder as like as Ducati. A "must have", or an impossible wish!!!! Just a final recommendation: don't use a Speed Triple the way Tom Cruise ride in MI2....i think it is not so smart!!!!!